What is the difference between the two adjectives: slick and sleek?
My dictionary returns almost the same explanation for both, like smooth and glossy.
Could someone explain when it would be more appropriate to use one or the other.
Thank you.
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this communityWhat is the difference between the two adjectives: slick and sleek?
My dictionary returns almost the same explanation for both, like smooth and glossy.
Could someone explain when it would be more appropriate to use one or the other.
Thank you.
Both mean smooth or seeming to be smooth.
To me, slick is more about touch: slippery, and sleek is more about sight/appearance. A wet moss-covered surface is slick. A satin skirt is sleek.
As a metaphorical descriptive, "slick" implies "sexy" (also in the metaphorical sense), and, as with real sex, what is considered "sexy" varies greatly from one observer and context to the next. I might consider a 20 pound bicycle to be "slick", while someone else would apply the adjective to a 1000 pound motorcycle. But the term, absent knowledge of the observer's preferences, implies nothing about the form of the object.
See Urban Dictionary:
slick Smooth, cool, awesome. Luke is so slick
"Sleek", on the other hand, is somewhat more objective, though it may also be metaphorical. It refers to the shape and form of the entity, and means, basically, "streamlined" or "smooth and flowing". A fancy sports car will generally be considered "sleek".